The Old Settlers Picnic will start its 143rd year on Aug. 2 with a new princess and queen.

The princess and queen contests will kick off the two-day event that will be held at the Old Settlers Picnic Grounds in New Florence. The princess contest will start at 6:30 p.m., followed by the queen contest at 7:30 p.m. Last year, there were seven contestants in the princess contest and just two in the queen contest.

In the past, the princess and queen contests were held on the evening portion of the second day of the picnic. This year, they have been switched to the first day of the picnic, which will also include a performance from Mickey Scott and his son Mike from 8:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Mickey Scott, who has been playing classic rock and country for 40 years, recently performed at the Montgomery County Fair.

The following day, action begins at 11 a.m. with a parade that will include the new princess and queen. The parade lineup will start at 9:30 a.m. at the clay piles. The parade, which is themed Old Roads Lead Home, goes down Main Street and turns into Picnic Street. There will be judging for parade awards at 10:30 a.m.

There will be a backyard cookoff at noon that has an entry fee of $10 per team per category. The categories are boneless chicken breast, sliders and ribs and contestants may enter either one or all categories. Check-in time is scheduled for 10 a.m.

Juanita Hadden, a Montgomery City resident, will perform in a jam session from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Hadden, a 2022 Montgomery County High School graduate, has been playing the guitar since she was in elementary school.

There will be a cornhole tournament that starts at 3:30 p.m. The entry fee is $20 per team of two members. Awards will be given out to the top three finishers. Last year, the cornhole tournament was held on the first day of the picnic.

The baby show contest will start at 12:30 p.m. with a $2 entry fee for each participant ages newborn-24 months. White T-shirts and diapers are allowed in the contest. There will also be a carbon copy contest for all ages.

The cake walk begins at 1 p.m. with participants getting an opportunity to donate a dessert or a baked good. The Montgomery County Senior Center is the sponsor of the event.

The greased pig contest returns for another year at 4 p.m. People of all ages will get a chance to get muddy by chasing hogs in a mud pit.

The Old Settlers Picnic will also have the horseshoe tournament and the pedal tractor pull at 1 p.m., the kiddie games at 2:30 p.m. and the Old Settler Awards at 3 p.m. Also, bingo will be played at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 2 and from 3 p.m.-9 p.m. the following day.

Shoot for the Stars DJ of Jonesburg will perform from 8 p.m.-midnight on Aug. 3.